Sunday, 29 January 2012

Future Attraction - My New Monthly Film Report

Shame that only now I've thought about sharing my film-watching experiences. Been listing every film I've seen since 1966 (only those viewed in a cinema count), and, rather wastefully, have been keeping it all to myself. (4,353 films to date) For the most recent twenty of those years they've each been given a score, but not so much in terms of being an intrinsically bad/good film (I don't feel qualified to do that), rather more for its appeal to me alone - in terms of enjoyment, profundity, my being moved or its being clever etc.

My monthly blog may be particularly useful to avid cinema-goers as they'll be for films which have only recently been given release (at least here in the U.K.) and may well still be in cinema circulation - so if anyone thinks my opinion carries any weight, and s/he was vacillating about seeing it at all, it may not be too late to see it in the format for which it was intended.
I can't say how long I'll continue going to the cinema regularly. I've long since reduced the frequency of visits, generally because of the expense - and now with question marks appearing over my health, I don't know if there'll be the desire or even the ability to carry on and on. I certainly can't see myself going frequently after hitting the age of 70 in 5 years time - but then when I started at around 19/20 I didn't think I'd be doing much cinema-going after reaching 40! So whether it's for just a few years more, or perhaps even just a few months, I'll post a cinema blog shortly after the end of each month. (2012 has got off to a good start. I've already seen eight films, with possibly two more in the next couple of days).

My 'reports' will differ from Stephen's in that the choice will be more narrowly focused. Whereas his blog covers a wide range of films, as well as covering a considerable time-range of original release date, mine are biased towards so-called 'art-house' films, and will all be recent releases. I do see certain kinds of block-busters too (e.g.all the 'Harry Potters', 'Missions Impossible' etc) but, essentially for financial reasons, I tend now to avoid films which I'm unlikely to like, because of critics' views or what I already know about them (such as the recent 'War Horse').. Consequently, most of my film scores turn out to get either the average score of 5/10 as a minimum, or higher- though sometimes an occasional low score will get through where it would have been better to have saved the money. Long gone are the days when I used to see everything within reason, whether wanting to or not.

So, in a few days time the first one will appear. We all hope for favourable reactions to what we post, though I'm aware that feelings towards film can be so subjective and I'm prepared for words of disbelief at some of the scores I'll be giving.

Hello Ray:Yes,yes, yes sign us up for a front row seat!! We love going to the cinema but only go in Budapest where an average ticket costs the equivalent of £2.50. We see ourselves toddling along there when we are 100!!

You give me heart, J & L. As time passes and I get (even) older I feel myself more and more out of touch with what qualifies as 'cool'. But now that I know your own discerning self/selves will be following my personal opinions, then that gives added point to my postings even if you may not agree with them.

Hi, A.M. in P, Delighted you've 'called in'.Yes, the Spo-shirt experience was quite something and more. Really honoured I was. I did indeed sniff it in deeply - but all I got was the smell of laundry! However, I just sat back, closed my eyes with it in my grasp - and let imagination do the rest. (Then I tried it with the shirt too!)

Oh yes, I did read ALL the journal entries - and not only that, I loaded them onto my computer. Pity that some were not quite easily legible - and some of my copies are cut off at the margins. But I read that the good Dr Spo might well publish them all on the web anyway next time he gets it back.Of course I read what you had entered, with your stick-ons and lovely stars - and that was all the more reason to have felt privileged with the opportunity to make a rather large contribution to the record myself - though must confess to cringeing a little at the thought of what I wrote being read by all and sundry. However, that's all part of the game!

Thanks so much for stopping by here. I look forward to catching up on all your own news - in fact I'm going right there pretty soon.

:-( That can only be a loss for the rest of us, A.M. in P. Still, I respect your decision, even though I doubt if your life can be THAT boring - and I admire your generosity in commenting on the blogs of us others. ALWAYS good to hear from you anytime at all.

Even before I knew about you, A.M., I'd put you down as a 'great survivor' - and so I learn that indeed you are. But must say I am sometimes utterly SHOCKED at your forthrightness - though I always end up loving you for it.

Thanks so much for that, Jase. Only a bit apprehensive that how I react to a particular film may be read as the film itself being intrinsically good or bad - and my being attacked for saying such and such. But let's not jump the gun. We'll see.